


The hour I met you

by Anastasia3000



Category: The Hours (2002), The Hours - Michael Cunningham
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-11 01:01:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12923961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anastasia3000/pseuds/Anastasia3000
Summary: Sally buried her face in Clarissa's neck to breathe her perfume, and she felt butterflies in her stomach - even after all those years together some things never changed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello folks! This is my first fanfiction related to this fandom. The story recounts the day in which Clarissa and Sally met for the first time. 
> 
> For any language mistake I apologize in advance since English is not my first language.
> 
> If you enjoy the story (or even if you don't) I'd be glad to receive your feedback! :)

**New York, June 1999.**

 

‘What about Sally?’ Richard had asked her that morning. Clarissa couldn’t get those words off her mind. She closed the glass door that separated the living room from the hallway.

‘What about Sally?’ She thought again, standing hesitatingly near the lamp on the drawer right outside their bedroom.

‘Sally...’ Clarissa turned off the light and got in the room, closing the door behind her. Sally was sitting in bed reading a book, her lips pursed as she always did when she was focusing.

‘She is not false comfort, she has never been.’

Sally rose her eyes from what she was reading and smiled to Clarissa.

“Are you coming to bed?” She asked softly, patting a hand on Clarissa’s side of bed.

“Sure...” Clarissa smiled back. She crawled under the sheets and snuggled against Sally’s body. Sally closed the book and put it on the nightstand, then hugged Clarissa. They remained silent for a few minutes; Clarissa placed her forehead against Sally’s chest and let out a sigh.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?”

“Yes...” Clarissa whispered, but a tear trailed down her cheek and fell on Sally’s chest. Sally held her tighter; she knew how vulnerable Clarissa felt whenever she would start crying in her arms.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, placing a soft kiss on Clarissa's forehead and stroking her hair.

“I love you...” Clarissa kissed Sally on the lips.

“I love you...” Sally said after they parted.

“You have always been so patient with me in all these years...”

A frown shadowed Sally’s face, but she didn't say anything and waited for Clarissa to continue.

“Since Richard’s illness got worse, I always feared of losing him... and I kept recalling the memories of what Richard and I were, of how happy and in love we were, and...”

Sally loosened the grip she had on Clarissa.

“...Why? Are you unhappy, Clarissa? Are you unhappy with me?” Her voice trembled and she tried to hold back the tears.

“I’ve never been unhappy with you, Sally!” – Clarissa sputtered as she sat straight up in bed – “Never with you…”

“So, what is it?” Sally was now mad at Clarissa, but at the same time she was glad that for once Clarissa didn’t filter her words in an attempt not to hurt her.

“I gradually lost touch with reality, and with what we share...”

Sally turned away from Clarissa without saying a word.

“Please, Sally, listen to me! I love you and I am happy with you, I’ve always been and always will be...” Clarissa placed her hand over Sally’s shoulder, but Sally shrugged it off. After a moment Clarissa moved closer to Sally and softly caressed her.

“Do you remember the day we first met?”

Silence lingered for a few seconds; when Sally turned around to face Clarissa, a shy smirk was lighting her face.

“How could I forget it?”


	2. Chapter 2

**New York, July 1984.**

 

Clarissa was running late for work. She had a meeting with the producer of the new TV show she had agreed on working on, and the last thing she ever wanted was being late on her first day. The few times she’d had to work for a television company, she’d always had to put up with arrogant producers, but she hoped anyway that that morning wouldn’t be the case, since she also had to bring her little four-year-old daughter Julia with her.

“Julie, sweetie, now you too have to get ready!” Clarissa shouted from the bathroom.

“Nooooo!” Julia cried from the couch in the living room.

“My little girl, you watched enough cartoons for this morning!”

Clarissa came out of the bathroom, went over the television and turned it off. She took Julia in her arms, but the little girl just kept trying to escape from her mother’s embrace, aiming at the couch.

“Julia, I don’t accept a tantrum this morning, we’re running late, you need to get ready and then we have to get out!”

“NO! Mommy!” Julia blabbered.

“Now you come with me in the bathroom, and no complaints!”

Julia stopped fighting, but looked at her mother with a displeased grimace.

Clarissa squeezed her little daughter in a tight hug and showered her with kisses. “C’mon, Julie, if you behave, this afternoon we’ll go to the park, alright?”

Julia’s eyes lit up and she started giggling. Clarissa heart warmed up and she placed another kiss on her daughter's rosy and chubby cheek.

“Now let’s go to the bathroom, you’ll wash your teeth while I brush your hair...”

 

**;**

 

“So, here’s your pink backpack... Did you take your plushy?”

Julia nodded.

“Let’s go, then!” Clarissa took her daughter in her arms and left the apartment. On their way out of the building Clarissa decided to take the underground instead of her car, it was faster and only God knew how much in a hurry she was that morning.

 

**;**

 

Clarissa had just sat down with Julia on her lap, when she noticed a woman hopping on the train right before the doors closed. She was tall and slender, in her early thirties, with shoulder length wavy brown hair and two mesmerizing big blue eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless white shirt, a high waist blue navy skirt and dark heels. The woman sat not too far from where Clarissa was; they briefly locked eyes and smiled, and Clarissa felt her cheeks turn red. She immediately averted her gaze and returned her attention to her daughter, who was playing with her grey stuffed rabbit. Clarissa’s heart was drumming in her chest and she took a few deep breaths to calm down. She thought her reaction was insane – she would never see that woman ever again, and yet she couldn’t help but eye in her direction to take a brief look at her one more time. At the same time the woman glanced at her, and Clarissa pretended to stare momentarily out of the train window, even though there was nothing there to see.

“Mom, is travel long?” Julia squeaked.

Clarissa promptly looked at her daughter and widely smiled at her.

“No, sweetie, just fifteen minutes and we’ll be there.”

“Ok...” Julia said cheerfully, returning her attention to her toy. Clarissa tenderly smacked a kiss on her daughter’s cheek, and then the little girl giggled as her mother playfully tickled her neck.

 

**;**

 

“This is our stop, Julie, in a few minutes you’ll see where mommy works!”

“Really?” Julia’s eyes widened in awe.

“Yes, my little girl, really! Are you happy?”

“Yes!" Julia was beyond enthusiast. Clarissa smiled.

The woman who drew Clarissa’s attention stepped out of the train with them, but headed to a newspaper stand. Halfway through the stairs that led out the station, Clarissa turned around to take one last look at that woman, and there she was – she was looking at her, too; when their eyes met, they both opened up in a bright smile.

“Mommy, go!” Julia squealed impatiently, squeezing Clarissa’s cheeks.

“Sure, sure, let’s go!” Clarissa burst out in laughter.

When was the last time a woman had such an effect on Clarissa?


	3. Chapter 3

“Clarissa! How nice to see you!” A voice thundered as soon as she set foot into the TV station hall.

“Dave!” – Clarissa beamed when she saw the director – “How long has it been? You’re always in such a great shape!” She walked over to greet her friend since their college years.

“How are you Clarissa?”

“Oh, I’m fine… What about you?”

“Nothing to complain about…”

“That’s great to hear, isn’t it?” Clarissa asked with a subtle hint of friendly irony.

“But I never complain, do I?” Dave continued, catching the joke.

“Surely never…” Clarissa laughed.

“Who is this little bird in your arms?” Dave asked smiling at Julia, who immediately hid her face against her mother’s neck.

“She’s my little sweet angel, Julia.” Clarissa gushed as she talked about her daughter.

“How old are you, little girl?”

“You’re four, aren’t you, Julie?” Clarissa gently moved Julia away from her neck. Julia suspiciously looked at Dave, then she nodded, her arms latched around her mother’s neck.

“Time really does fly… The last time I saw you, you were about to give birth, and now she is already four…” – Dave sighed – “I bet you are mommy’s princess…” he added with a smile, bumping Julia’s nose tip. A sound of heels echoed in the hall, and Dave and Clarissa turned around.

“Ah, Sally! Here you are!” He opened in a smile.

“Hey, Dave!”

“Glad to see you! How are you?”

“Oh fine, thanks! What about you?”

“Not bad, thank you… So… Sally, this is Clarissa, the editor who will support you. Clarissa, this is Sally, our producer.”

Clarissa’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. She was the woman she saw on the underground.

“Hi, nice to meet you!” Sally said with a warm smile, reaching out her hand. She had recognized Clarissa.

“Hi…” – it took Clarissa a moment to return to her senses – “Hi, nice to meet you!” she said cheerfully, shaking hands with Sally.

“Ready for the meeting?” Dave asked playfully.

 

**;**

 

The meeting with the whole crew took around three full hours, discussing the details of the TV show with some small intervention even from Julia’s behalf. Although they were sitting one next to the other, Sally and Clarissa exchanged interested and playful glances the whole meeting, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Dave. Sometimes Julia would crawl from her mother’s lap to Sally’s lap, much to Clarissa’s frustration and Sally’s amusement.

 

**;**

 

“Clarissa, I need to explain you another few things about your task…” Dave said to Clarissa while the other colleagues were already leaving the room, and he started showing her a pile of papers a young intern brought in.

“If you want I’ll hold Julia while you two finish…” Sally whispered to Clarissa.

“Oh, thank you…” – Clarissa slightly blushed – “Julie dear, would you be with Sally for a little moment? Mommy will be back soon…” She placed a kiss on her daughter’s cheek and moved a strand of hair away from her forehead. Julia looked at Sally with a smile and reached for her arms.

“We’ll be waiting in the cafeteria…” Sally said with a wink.

“Alright…” Clarissa smiled and turned her attention to the papers Dave had put in front of her. Before Sally closed the door Clarissa turned around to look at Sally, just to see that Sally was looking back at her.

“Clarissa, are you even listening to me?” Dave asked slightly annoyed.

“What? Oh! Yeah… No, no, I’m sorry… Could you just repeat the last part… please?”

Dave sighed. “Alright… So, what I was telling you is that you’ll have to work side by side with Sally, and go through everything any of the members of the crew will give you, clear?”

“Clear…” From that point Clarissa’s attention was again flickering in and out, partly she would listen to Dave, partly she would think about Sally and Julia in the other room.


	4. Chapter 4

Finally Clarissa left the meeting room and saw Julia half asleep with her head resting on Sally’s shoulder and her little hand clutched to Sally’s shirt collar. Meanwhile Sally was singing a lullaby to Julia, cradling the little girl and tenderly looking at her. Clarissa stood in the distance, leaning against the door frame, to look at the scene in front of her eyes. Dave came out of the meeting room loudly laughing at some joke he cracked the intern, but Clarissa signed him to quiet down and he stopped next to her at the sight of Julia and Sally.

“They seem to really like each other, don’t they?” Dave whispered to Clarissa.

“Yes...” Clarissa smiled.

“And apparently even you and Sally really like each other.” Clarissa turned around with wide eyes and Dave winked.

“Oh, c’mon! You couldn’t keep your eyes off each other!”

“Well, but...” Clarissa started.

“Oooh, don’t you try to deny it with me Clarissa... I’ve been knowing you for ages, and you never looked at anyone the way you look at Sally.”

Clarissa muffled a laugh and rolled her eyes.

“You should ask her out, you know, she is single. And she likes women. I’m sure you two would make a great couple, not only as colleagues here at the station.” Dave smiled and walked away.

Clarissa blushed at the thought of dating Sally, but Dave was right after all. She walked in the room and sat next to her.

“She really looks like you, you know?” Sally said looking at Clarissa.

“Do you really think that?” Clarissa was looking at her daughter.

“Yeah, absolutely…” – Sally returned her gaze to Julia – “She’s adorable…”

Clarissa leaned into the seat and smiled.

“What do you do for lunch?” She asked after a while, moving her gaze up to Sally.

“Oh, nothing in particular… What do you do?” Sally looked back again at Clarissa, who immediately got lost in those big blue eyes.

“I’m heading home with my little Julia… Would you like to come over?”

“Only if I don’t disturb.”

“Surely you don’t…”

“Then I’d be more than glad to accept your invitation.” Sally smiled.

Clarissa stood up and took her bags. Sally took her purse and followed Clarissa, still with Julia sleeping in her arms.

“Oh, wait! Let me take Julia!”

“Oh, don’t worry! I don't mind keeping her…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes… Look at her! She’s so peaceful, sleeping like an angel…”

“If only she did that more often with me!” They both laughed.

Clarissa looked at Julia and Sally with a tender look in her eyes, then walked towards the corridor.

“Dave, Sally and I are going!”

“Oh, you are going already!?” He shouted coming out of his office.

“Yes… We are done here for today and I really need to take Julia home.”

“Fine, see you tomorrow then! Bye, you two!” Dave said winking again at Clarissa and went back to his office.

“Bye!”

“See you tomorrow!”


	5. Chapter 5

By the time Clarissa and Sally arrived to the apartment, Julia, who was still in Sally’s arms, was already wide awake and was sizing Sally from head to toe.

“Good morning, Julia!” Sally warmly said, smiling at the little girl.

“Hi...” Julia whispered, and then opened up in a bright smile.

Clarissa bit her lower lip and her whole face lit up: seeing Julia so comfortable with someone she had just met melt her heart. She inserted the key into the key-hole and opened the door.

“So, here we are!” she exclaimed. Sally put Julia down, and barely had the chance to take a quick glance at the luminous apartment that Julia squealed in excitement, “Sally, come! I’ll show you my dolls!”, taking Sally by the hand and dragging her into her room. A loud thump of boxes falling down followed right behind.

“Easy, Julie dear!” Clarissa shouted from the kitchen, while laughing.

 

**;**

 

After a while, Sally managed to reach Clarissa in the kitchen and Julia followed her, sitting at the table and playing with a doll.

Clarissa took the dishes while checking the pans.

“Give me, I’ll set the table.” Sally said taking the dishes from Clarissa's hands.

“Oh, thank you. You’ll find the glasses in that cupboard and the cutlery in the drawer right here.”

“Mommy, are you cooking chicken and carrots?” Julia intervened.

“Yes, darling!” Clarissa answered.

“But I don’t like it!” Julia said, still playing with her doll.

“You always say that, and then every time you end up eating the whole plate…” – Clarissa placed a kiss on Julia’s head – “Now put the doll aside, it’s almost time to eat!”

“I believe you eat the whole plate” – Sally whispered to Julia – “It smells delicious, and I bet it tastes likewise…” she added winking, placing three glasses on the table. Again Julia broadly smiled at Sally.

 

**;**

 

After they had cleaned up the kitchen and Julia had returned in her room to play, Clarissa was pouring coffee in two cups and Sally was leaning against the kitchen counter, while chatting and sometimes sharing personal stories. Clarissa put down the coffee pot and momentarily looked at Sally. Instinctively Sally leaned over and kissed Clarissa on the lips, taking her face in both hands. After a first moment of pleased surprise, Clarissa eagerly responded to the kiss, placing her hands on Sally's hips.

“Mommy, look!” Julia ran out of her room with a drawing in her hands, her locks bouncing in the run.

“What are you doing?” She asked curiously, looking at her mother. Clarissa and Sally immediately parted.

Sally took the two cups to place them on the table, while Clarissa walked over to her daughter.

“We were... um... talking.”

Julia frowned. “It didn’t look like talking. Was that a kiss?”

Clarissa and Sally looked at each other and blushed.

“Well, maybe…” – Clarissa immediately changed topic of the conversation – “Show us what you have here, instead…” Clarissa pointed at Julia’s drawing and all three sat down around the table, with Julia talking excitedly about what she had just drawn and Sally engaging her in a lively discussion. Clarissa secretly rejoiced such early confidence between her daughter and Sally. As for the kiss, she hoped she would make up for another one very soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**New York, June 1999.**

 

Sally and Clarissa were quietly laughing reminiscing the days that followed their first meeting. Clarissa was sitting on Sally’s lap and took a moment to admire her girlfriend; she tucked a strand of hair behind Sally’s ear and tenderly caressed her cheek, noticing how soft Sally’s skin still felt under her palm. She then brushed her thumb against Sally’s lips. Sally took Clarissa’s hand in hers, and softly kissed her palm and her wrist; she then leaned towards Clarissa and gently placed a kiss on her lips. Sally felt Clarissa smile when their lips met, so she allowed herself to deepen the kiss and draw Clarissa closer to her body. They hadn’t shared a deep and passionate kiss in a long time, and soon enough they both felt slightly aroused. Their hands immediately looked for each other skin and in no time they were both totally undressed.

 

**;**

 

The brush of skin against skin, their bodies pressed together, Sally’s hands caressing and seizing every inch of her body, the kisses they shared, all of it mixed up and sent a shiver of pleasure down Clarissa’s spine. Showering her with kisses and caresses, Sally made Clarissa lay down on her back; after she kissed Clarissa on her lips one more time, she proceeded to tenderly kiss her lover’s lower jaw, her neck and collarbones. Sally then paid a great deal of attention on Clarissa’s breasts, kissing and playing with them, while she kept caressing her arms and her hips. She then started placing feather kisses on Clarissa’s abdomen, reaching the skin below her belly button, when Clarissa briefly moved a hand away from Sally’s locks to dry a tear trailing down her cheek. Sally noticed it and immediately moved up to take Clarissa in her arms and kiss her on the lips.

“Did I go too fast? Do you want me to stop?”

“No... No, Sally, I want you to continue...” – Clarissa wrapped Sally’s hips with her legs, and as she talked she kept kissing her lover – “I missed us being this close... We haven’t been in quite in a while...”

Sally buried her face in Clarissa’s neck to breathe her perfume, and she felt butterflies in her stomach – even after all those years together some things never changed. With even more tenderness Sally planted new kisses all over Clarissa’s body, giving her goosebumps. When she reached the spot between Clarissa’s legs, she caused her to gasp and arch her back, soon taking her to a place only Sally knew how to. Their lovemaking was gentle and caring, slowly taking possession of each other’s body and reminding them of their love one time more.

 

**;**

 

Still naked, Clarissa and Sally quietly spoke about everything and anything while caressing, until Clarissa drifted off with a smile ruffling her lips. Sally looked at the woman peacefully sleeping in her arms, taking in the fine features of the woman she had loved for almost fifteen years. She imagined themselves another fifteen years forward – their faces older and their hair greyer, but still together, and in love. A feeling of gratitude pervaded Sally’s heart and spirit – she had been lucky enough to meet the woman she would spend, by any chance, the rest of her life with, but how many times did she pass on the opportunity to tell Clarissa how deeply she loved her? To tell her how much she appreciated their life together, the quiet rhythm and hum of their routine? Without Clarissa by her side, she knew she would be missing the most important part of herself. The upcoming weekend would mark their 15th anniversary, and Sally promised herself that she would take Clarissa to the house on the lake where they spent their first anniversary. She wanted Clarissa to know that from there they could start a new chapter of their life together.

 

**THE END.**


End file.
